What a week for Rajon Rondo.
Last Monday against the Pistons, he received a technical after tossing a ball at referee Sean Wright in response to a no-call on a play in which, Rondo believed, there should have been a foul called. Comissioner David Stern soon sentenced him to a two-game suspension for—as Rondo put it—”[losing] his cool”. However, Rondo had a better second-half of the week when he leaned he had to cancel his vacation to the Bahamas for he was named to his third straight All-Star game and to the Point-Guard Skills Competition–justifying his remarkable first-half of play.
Rajon Rondo did not want to talk much about his two-game suspension for tossing the ball at the official during Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, but after a few minutes, he expressed regret about his anger and actions.
“Yes it was difficult being away,” he said in his first interview after the incident. “I made a mistake and that’s what it is. I don’t think will see that again from me. Obviously I learned from it. I’m an emotional player and I felt things were different and I reacted the way I reacted.”
The two-game suspension reafirmed the obvious: Rajon Rondo cannot hide behind the shadow of the Big-3. He is now the undisputed leader on this team and truth be told, good or bad, his actions will come with heavy scrutiny—something he is still clearly learning to deal with. When Rondo is playing at ‘triple double’ level of play, analysts are going to want to put him in the wall of fame. However, if Rondo struggles or loses his temper, like he did last week, he is going to take the blame like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony do on a day-to-day basis.
Some forget that Rondo is only 26 years old and this may all be part of his maturation process as a player and individual. In the next few years, the big-3 will age and retire and Danny Ainge is going to have some decisions to make. Does he build around Rondo, or does he trade Rondo and start fresh?
Whatever he does it’s probably not going to be this year as this is the last chance for Pierce, Allen and Garnett to win another Title. Although, the C’s maybe on a six-game skid, anything can happen with three future Hall of Famers and an All-Star point-guard on the floor. As Rondo put it, “The [All-Star] honor is a credit to my team. The guys have been unselfish in letting me do my thing this year.”
